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(No Model.)

G. H. JONES.

HEEL AND TOE PROTEGTOR. No. 357,772. Patented Feb. 15,1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. JONES, or RooHnsrnR, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR on ONEHALF TO JOHN HART, or SAME PLACE.

HEEL AND TOE PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,772, dated February 15, 1887.

Serial No. 221,787. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. JONES, a citizen of the United Statesresidingat Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New 1 York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Heel and Toe Protectors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement is designed to be worn on the foot, inside a boot or shoe, as a protector to the heel and toe, to prevent undue wear on the stocking, and is designed also to serve in place of the ordinary lining that is pasted down on top of the sole, and which as ordinarily used is the source of much trouble, as it gets loose and wrinkles up and has soon to be removed, leaving the sole bare and rough to the foot.

Heel-protecto rs consisting of a soft and flexible socket with an elastic loop have long been used, fitting over the heel, and are very serviceable forthe use designed. Soft socks or slippers have also been used as linings and protectors inside of shoes, the quarters or sides standing up as high as the heel and toe, and in very loose boots they are serviceable; but they cannot be used inside a c1ose-fitting boot or shoe,for the reason that the high quarters or sides come at the point where the shoe fits closest around theinstep, and where the bend of the foot occurs in walking.

The object of my invention is to produce a device in which the toe as well as the heel is protected, and in which the instep consists of a single thickness of sole, having no quarters or sides, so that the boot can be made close fitting on the sides and no wrinkling or binding can occur in walking, the bottom at the same time serving as a lining or cover to the sole of the boot and receiving the whole bottom of the foot.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.

The device is made of sheep-skin or other soft material, and consists of the sole or bottom portion, a, the heel'socket b, and toesocket 0, substantially of the form shown.

The heel may be provided with an elastic band or cord, (1, such as is used on ordinary heel-protectors; but this is not always required and may be dispensed with. The device may be made in any desired manner, 5 usually by stitching the toe and heel to the sole wrong side out and then turning it.

It will be noticed that the center portion of the device, between the toe and heel, is only of a single thickness, which lies flat on the sole of the boot, and that no quarters are used, the space between the heel and toe being left entirely open.

Fig. 8 shows the heel-socketmade separate from the sole, the sole extending back within the heel and being attached thereto by one or more eyelets or by other suitable means. A double thickness is then produced at the bot tom of the heel. The great advantage of this device is that a 7 toe as well as a heel protector is provided, which prevents undue wear on the stocking, and at the same time quarters are avoided, and but a single flat thickness of soleis left at the instep, thereby preventing any wrinkling. The exterior shoe can be made as close fitting at the sides as though no lining were used. There is perfect freedom to the bend of the foot in walking. In common moccasins or slipper-insoles the quarters produce ill-fitting, 8)

as the sides of the shoe have to be loose, and in bending the foot they wrinkle and are uncomfortable to the wearer.

Having described my invention, I disclaim simply a heel-protector. I also disclaim a moccasin or slipper having raised. quarters.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, the device herein described, consisting of the go sole 0, heel-socket b, and toesocket c, said sockets serving as heel and toe protectors, and the sole between the sockets being fiat and without quarters, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The deviceherein described, consisting of the sole a, heel-socket b, and toe-socket c, the heel-socket being made separate from the sole and attached thereto by eyelets or other suitable means, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing -witnesses.

G. H. JONES.

Witnesses:

JOHN HART,

R. F. OsGoon. 

